Garment buttonhole accessory



May 19, 1936. Y. J. w; STEELE 2,041,575 GARMENT BUTTONHOLE ACCESSORYFiled Dec. 24, 1954 INVENTOR:. J W. .Sfee/e,

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 19, 1936 I p v 2,041,575

' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GAR E T BUTTONHOLE ACCESSORY James W.Steele, Kansas City, Mo. Application December 24, 1934, Serial No.758,993

' 5 Claims. (01. 24-40) This invention relates to garment accessories,with particular reference to devices for, use in connection with thebuttons and buttonholesof garments for holding them in th-eirproperrelation at these points but at the same time leaving them in anunbuttoned or an only-partly buttoned state. V

For this purpose I provide means adapted to be conveniently engaged withthe button and buttonhole, or with registered buttonholes, for holdingthe parts in the desired relation, while eliminating any completebuttoning operation of ,the garment, and also the. use of pins and thelike during such operationsas are required in shirt factories andlaundries; and which furthermore will enable the garment to be deliveredin a condition which will require no removal of pins or any unbuttoningof the garment by the customer, and otherwise promote the delivery ofthe garment to the customer in a more acceptable and satisfactorycondition.

With the foregoing general objects in view, the invention willaccordingly be described by reference to the accompanying drawingillustrating suitable forms of embodiment of the proposed improvements,after which those features of novelty deemed to be patentable will beparticularly set forth and claimed.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view showing a portion of ashirt having devices embodying the invention applied in operativeposition;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view illustrating the device;

Figure 3 is a detail section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2; and

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a form of the inventionshown in Figure 1.

The purpose of the invention is to provide improved devices of acharacter similar to those illustrated in my Patent No. 1,989,534 issuedunder date of January 29, 1935, and comprising means for convenientattachment to the garment for holding the button and buttonhole stripsin properly alined relation and in either unbuttoned or only partlybuttoned relation, such as a device which can be conveniently insertedthrough the buttonhole into detachable engagement with the correspondingbutton, together with provision for at the same time maintainingsuitable engagement with the buttonhole for preserving the button andbuttonhole alinement while still in unbuttoned relation, or with thebuttons extending only part-way through the buttonholes.

The devices comprise spring clamping means for accomplishing the desiredfunctions; for example, the formof the device shown in Figures 2 and 3and in relation to the upper buttonholes in Figure 1 comprises a pair ofclamping members 30, 3|, having upturned handle portions 32 andconnected by a spring element 33; the member 3| is formed with a forkedterminal 34 for insertion underneath the buttonhole strip 21 (instead ofthrough the buttonhole 20) into engagement beneath the button 22, whilethe other member 30 operates to hold the device in place by engagementwith the buttonhole strip itself, as by means of a downturned terminal35 for projection through the buttonhole opposite the closed end of thefork 34, thereby also maintaining the buttonhole in proper registeredrelation with the corresponding button, as illustrated in Figures 1 and3.

The other form of the device shown in Figures 1 and 4 is of one-piececonstruction with the same essential operative features, and comprisingthe clamping members 30' and 3| integrally connected by a spring loop33' acting as a combination spring and handle, with the part 30'projecting through an aperture 36 in said loop 33', and said members 30'and 3| having the corresponding fork 34 and down-turned terminal 35,similar to the other clamping attachment previously described. Eitherform of attachment acts in the same manner to frictionally grip thebutton and also engage the buttonhole for holding the parts in thedesired relation, but without drawing of the button into the buttonholeas do the previously described forms of the device.

The manner of using the improved devices will be readily apparent fromthe foregoing, and it may be pointed out that with each of the formsillustrated the principal operation required on the part of the user ofthe device is merely to hook the forked portion of the device under thebutton, thereafter leaving the device in position, whereby the parts ofthe garment are correctly maintained in proper position as regardsalinement of the button and buttonhole strips, since the device engagesone or both ends of the buttonhole for this alining function. There isthe further advantage in connection with the collar as shown in Figure 1that the use of an attaching button is eliminated where the garment isnot provided with a button at the collar,the temporary button insertedby the factory or laundry having always proved to be a nuisance andextremely annoying to the customer.

It will also be understood that the described devices are simplytemporarily attached in the positions illustrated for alining purposesin the finishing of the garment at the factory or laundry.

It will therefore be apparent that I have devised practical andefficient means for the carrying out of the desired objects of theinvention, and while I have shown and described means that have provedentirely satisfactory for the purposes in view I desire to be understoodas expressly reserving the right to make whatever changes ormodifications may fairly be deemed?v to fall; within the scope of thefollowing claims.

Having thus described my invention, what l': claim and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:-

1. In combination with the button and buttonhole of a garment, a devicefor holding said button and buttonhole in matched and unbuttonedrelation comprising yieldingly connected" means insertable into positionat opposite sides; above and below, the buttonhole strip and havingmeans for making forked engagement with the button, and also means forprojecting into the buttonhole for positively holding the same inregistered relation with the button. 7

2. In combination with the button and buttonhole of a garment,a devicefor holding said button and buttonhole. in matched and unbuttonedrelation comprising yieldingly connected means insertable into positionat opposite sides, above and below, the buttonhole strip and havingmeans for making forked engagement'with the button, and also meansoperating by engagement with the: buttonhole strip from the outer'side'thereof: for

positively holding the buttonhole in registered relation with thebutton.

3. An accessory device for the buttons and buttonholes of garmentscomprising, a clamp element terminating in a fork for engaging thebutton, and a second clamp element yieldingly connected with the firstclamp element and operating by engagement with the buttonhole strip fromthe outer side thereof for positively holding the correspondingbuttonhole in registered relation with said button.

4. An accessory device for the buttons and butjtcnholes of garmentscomprising, a combination spring and handle loop having a pair ofclamping elements integrally connected therewith, one ofsaiduclamp-elements terminating in a fork for engaging the button andthe other clamping element projecting through one end of said loopsertable into position at opposite sides,.ab'ove. and

below, the buttonhole strip and including ant'el'ement making detachableretaining engagement with thevbutton andi alsoan elementoperating'byengagement' with. the buttonhole strip: from the outer sidethereof for positively holding theibutitonhole ins registered relationwith thebutton. JAMES W. STEELE.

